KUALA LUMPUR, 1st October, 2026 (WAM) -- A record 29 teams will kickstart their mission to reach the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027™ when the Qualifiers kick off on 5th October.
The cast of 29 is the largest-ever to be assembled for the Qualifiers, surpassing the previous record of 28 teams in 2019, with eight places available at the 11th edition of the Finals.
Split across eight groups to contest a single round-robin centralised league, only the group winners advance to join the quartet of teams that have qualified directly as the top four finishers from 2026: defending champions Democratic People's Republic of Korea, runners-up Japan, and semi-finalists Australia and China.
Bhutan are set to make their debut in the Qualifiers, which take place for a ninth time since being first implemented for the 2009 Finals. Eleven other teams will hope to qualify for their maiden Finals: United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, Iraq, Kyrgyz Republic, Malaysia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan and Macau, China.
In Group A in Tajikistan, Republic of Korea will begin their campaign against the United Arab Emirates, who are taking part in their fourth Qualifiers and their first since 2019.
Targeting a return to the Finals after their 2013 debut, Jordan begin their eighth Qualifiers against hosts Tajikistan, who are contesting their fourth qualifying campaign.
In Group B in Singapore, Indonesia will begin their third qualifying campaign against Bahrain, who are making their fourth appearance in the Qualifiers and seeking a return to the Finals for the first time since 2013.
Hosts Singapore, contesting their seventh Qualifiers, will face Saudi Arabia, who are taking part in their second qualifying campaign.
In Group C in Laos, Chinese Taipei will open their ninth qualifying campaign against Cambodia.
Laos, the third team in the group following the withdrawal of Iran, are taking part in qualifying for a third time and for the first time since 2019. They will open against Cambodia on 8th October as they seek a second Finals appearance following their debut in 2017.
In Group D in Ho Chi Minh City, Kyrgyz Republic will face the Northern Mariana Islands, with both teams contesting their fifth Qualifiers.
Hosts Vietnam, appearing in their seventh Qualifiers and targeting a third Finals appearance, will take on Palestine, who are contesting only their second qualifying campaign after 2017.
Group E in Malaysia will see India compete against Iraq, who are making their fifth appearance and first since 2024. Hosts Malaysia will then face Syria.
In Group F in Thailand, Lebanon, who made their Finals debut in 2026, will begin their fourth qualifying campaign against Macau.
Thailand, who have appeared at every Finals, will open their seventh Qualifiers against Bhutan, who will become the 38th different team to participate in qualifying.
In Group G at Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon, Guam and hosts Myanmar will meet as both seek a third Finals appearance. Hong Kong will begin their campaign against Guam on 8th October as they seek to return to the Finals for the first time since 2005.
Group H will be staged in Tashkent, where hosts Uzbekistan will open their eighth qualifying campaign against the Philippines.
Bangladesh will begin their fifth Qualifiers against Uzbekistan on 8th October as they seek their first Finals appearance since 2019 and fourth overall.